Xanatos looked up as the door to his prison cell opened. He slowly
rose to his feet.

A short, overweight Danese man with thin, greasy yellow hair entered.
He was affluently attired andwas carrying a stack of file cartridges under one arm and two
computer cases under the other.

Xanatos watched as the man placed his burden carefully on the
cell's only table. He then turned andfaced Xanatos.

Before the man could speak, Xanatos gestured at him and asked,
"Who are you?"

"If you'll allow me to introduce myself, Good Sir," the man began,
sorting through the file cartridges."My name is Ligan Went. I have been assigned to you as legal
counsel in this matter which youcurrently find yourself in."

Xanatos' eyes widened. "Legal counsel? You mean to tell me I'm
going to be put on trial for this? Itwas an accident! What kind of a judicial system is this?

"Sir, if you please," Ligan Went said somewhat impatiently. "It's
not as simple as all that. I'll be morethan happy to explain your circumstances if you just give me
the opportunity. Please, sit down." Hegestured at the ledge attached to the wall of the cell which
Xanatos had previously occupied.

"I don't want to sit down! I want answers, damnit!" Xanatos stalked
around the table with obviousirritation. "This whole thing is ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!"
he growled. "I'm not the one at faulthere. I did not run down that young man. I told the officer who
arrested me that the little beast ran intome! My speeder has a big dent in the front to prove it and his
slimy blood is all over my new brindledseat covers! He should be the one rotting away in here awaiting
trial for damage rendered to expensiveprivate property, but no, blame the foreigner! Isn't that always
the way?" Xanatos stopped rantingmomentarily as a new thought suddenly occurred to him. "I...didn't
kill him, did I?"

Ligan Went sighed heavily and inserted one of the file cartridges
into one of the computers.

"No, but he is slightly more damaged than your speeder, I'm afraid.
And it is only fair you should bemade to pay. That's how the Danese justice system works," the
attorney explained with forcedamiability.

Xanatos leaned across the table and glared at his counselor. "All
right. I'll pay for all the medicalexpenses he accrues. What more does he want?"

Ligan Went inclined his head slightly. His sudden change in statement
told Xanatos he was about torelay something Xanatos didn't especially want to hear.

"That's all very generous of you--"

"I know it is," Xanatos interrupted.

"--But the injured gentleman is not the only party involved in
this matter, Good Sir," the attorney wenton to explain. He cleared his throat and continued cautiously.
"His owner...is demandingcompensation."

Xanatos threw his head back and swore loudly. Of all the blasted
luck! He had to go and run over aslave.

"Whatever, Counselor. I'll pay for the slave too. How much do
they want for him? And it better bereasonable! It's not like he's going to be much good for anything
now. I'm not going to be able to resellhim at a premium price."

Ligan Went shifted uncomfortably.

Xanatos pointed a long threatening forefinger at the attorney's
nose. "Just make the necessaryarrangements and get me the hell out of here. The sooner the
better." Xanatos stood back and sighed.As soon as he was free, he was transporting off this planet.
To hell with the rest of the OffWorld boardmeetings.

Ligan Went focused on his computer readouts. "The young man in
question, er...the slave, was, ah, isthe property of Her Royal Highness Faraline Caslon, the third,
Princess of Dane. She isunderstandably, quite distraught by the untimely destruction
of her property and has issued a decreedemanding a sentence of compensation to be carried out immediately
by the offending party, that beingyou, Sir, until the procurement of another comparable slave can
be obtained or the unlikely event of thefull recovery of the 'damaged' slave. Whichever comes first.
At that time, your debt to Her Highnessshall be fulfilled and all your personal property will be returned
to you and you shall be free to go aboutyour business." The attorney looked up briefly. "It's the best
I could do."

Xanatos was looking back at him with smoldering fury. "How much
does she want for him?" he askedagain through clenched teeth.

Ligan Went cleared his throat again. "I don't think you fully
comprehend, Sir. You must understand thather judgments are the law here. She has removed this matter from
the Danese High Courts. It will notgo to trial. There is nothing more I can do for you at this point
beyond relaying the facts concerningyour sentencing."

Xanatos' temper had reached its limit. He sprang over the table
and grabbed his attorney, hauling himto his feet and then shoved him against the hard wall of the
prison cell.

Xanatos' large hands closed around the attorney's fleshy throat
and squeezed. "If you don't make thenecessary arrangements, I'll wring your fat, greasy neck until
your eyes burst! Now how much does shewant?"

"What then?" Xanatos demanded, ignoring the droid guards which
clattered into his cell with drawnblasters.

"....Sssshe has decreed...that you shall...ugh...take his place...gurg."

"Stand back Prisoner 66378 or we will be forced to fire upon you
causing bodily injury to yourself andin some reported cases, temporary impairment of some mind functioning
abilities!" one of the guardsduly informed.

Xanatos ignored them. "Take his place? What the hell does that
mean?"

"Prisoner 66738! You have been warned! Warning number two is now
considered in effect. You haveone remaining warning before--"

"Oh shut up already!" Xanatos addressed the droid. He released
Ligan Went and stepped back.

The attorney massaged his neck and moved as far away from Xanatos
as he could get.

"I'm sorry you are not pleased with your sentence," Ligan Went
wheezed, cowering behind the droidguards. "But few prisoners are. You should be pleased she didn't
call for your execution. She couldhave, you know. I understand she was very fond of that particular
slave. She just wants you to fill in forhim until she can get a replacement, is that so horrible? It's
the least you could do for her. She must beterribly upset by this whole sordid affair. If you were any kind
of a decent man, you would stop yourwhining and accept her generous decision." He began quickly gathering
up his computers and files.

"Pleased?" Xanatos spat. "I'm supposed to be pleased to be sentenced
to slavery? You worthlesspiece of shit!" He stepped forward menacingly. "I should have
strangled you while I had the chance! Atleast I could carry that very satisfying image with me through
this 'sordid affair'."

The retreating attorney blanched and hurriedly waddled out of
the cell. Xanatos started after him butthe droids moved to intercept him.

"You were warned Prisoner 66738!" the droid stated. It raised
its blaster and fired.

"That was only two!--" Xanatos protested. He tried to dodge the
pale green bolt of energy but it struckhim, grazing his side. His whole body started to feel numb suddenly
and the cell began to darken.Xanatos felt himself falling as his mind slipped silently away.
Then suddenly there was nothing.

********

Xanatos woke, barefoot and shirtless; his head pounding and his
entire left side aching. Carefully heopened one eye and looked around, then cautiously opened the
other one.

He wasn't in the prison anymore, that much was screamingly obvious.
He slowly raised his handstowards his head and realized his wrist were bound together.
He was lying on his back on a very largeoval shaped bed which dominated a very oppulently furnished room.
He rolled over on his side andheard the jingling of a chain. He saw that the binders around
his wrists were tethered to one of thegilded metal bedposts by means of a long silver chain. He swore
and tugged at it but his headscreeched protests and he was forced to stop. He continued quietly
studying the room, to try to figureout just where he could be.

All the furnishings were very expensive, some clearly customized
with gilted accents and glitteringfabrics. All the colors of the room were soft pastel and pearlized
whites. Xanatos' first impression of theroom was that it was normally occupied by someone very dainty
and thoroughly feminine.

Having reached this deduction, Xanatos was vaguely reminded of
his attorney mentioning somethingabout a princess. He sat up suddenly.

Pain stabbed his brow with the abruptness of the movement. Xanatos
closed his eyes tightly andcradled his head against his arms. He moaned miserably.

Slowly, everything his worthless appointed attorney had told him
started coming back to him. His moanbecame a growl of anger. He forced his eyes open once more and
looked around again.

Strangely, he was alone, left to his own devices. He frowned at
the chain and the binders on his wrists.Why wouldn't she leave him alone? It wasn't like he would be
up and skipping out the door anytimesoon.

Carefully, Xanatos slid to the edge of the bed and placed his
feet on the plushly carpeted floor. Takinga deep breath, he shifted his weight to his legs and stood up.
He swayed alarmingly and the roomimmediately went in a tailspin. Xanatos quickly sat back down,
cursing under his breath.

He turned and faced the room's only window. It took up almost
an entire wall and was covered withheavy draperies which effectively blocked out the Danese planet's
intense midday sun for whichXanatos was eternally grateful.

His attention was drawn away from the window when the sealed door
to the room suddenly openedand emitted two prepubescent girls who looked so much alike,
Xanatos thought they were perhapssisters. Both were extravagantly attired for their age and both
girls wore a small fortune in jewels.

Shyly, they hesitated advancing further into the room, but eagerly
fixed their matching grey eyes onXanatos. They exchanged whispered comments between themselves
and giggled together coyly.

Xanatos rolled his eyes. More than likely, one of these nymphs
was the princess he was presentlyindebted to.

The slightly taller of the two girls stepped closer to him and
smiled.

"You're the new one, aren't you? What is your name, Slave?" she
asked with an authoritative air.

Xanatos narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't call me a slave," he grumbled. "I'm not a slave." He slowly
pushed himself to his feet,successfully this time, and stalked over to the door but found
his chain did not quite reach. He studied itanyway for a release mechanism to keep from having to further
acknowledge the presence of the twogirls.

"I won't call you a slave if you tell me your name," the girl
prodded.

Xanatos glanced back at her over his shoulder. "How does this
door open?"

The smaller girl walked slowly over to him. "It's coded. It won't
open for you. Or any of the men kepthere. That way, the slaves don't have to stay chained up all
the time."

Xanatos spun around and leered towards her, sending her scampering
away and back to the safety ofwhere her taller companion stood, well out of his tethered range.
The girls cackled hysterically.

"I'm not a slave!" Xanatos seethed. He jerked the chain hard,
but it held fast. He turned and prowledthe room, stopping in front of the large window. He threw back
the draperies and winced at the brilliantsunlight that flooded the room. Sentence or no sentence, he was
finding a way out of here. He wasn'tabout to submit to the theatrical whims of some silly, snobby
little girl. Even if she was a princess.

The window, however was heavily barred. Xanatos sighed in frustration.
He released the drapes andturned, his eyes once more falling on the two huddled girls who
were watching him with wide, curiouseyes.

"Release me, right now!" Xanatos ordered.

The girls dissolved in laughter. After awhile, the taller of the
two spoke up.

"We can't do that. You would leave."

"You're damned right I would," Xanatos responded and twisted his
wrists against the binders. He tookhold of the chain and yanked it as hard as he could. He succeeded
in moving the bed slightly,practically severing his hands at the wrist, thoroughly bruising
his palms, but hadn't succeeded inbreaking the chain in the least. He swore under his breath knowing
the only thing that tantrum had trulyaccomplished was scaring the two little girls into flight back
across
the room.

Xanatos stood watching them, massaging his wrists, thinking. He
took a deep cleansing breath andclosed his eyes momentarily. His statement visibly softened.
He opened his eyes and spoke in a gentleand dulcet tone.

"All right. I give up. I'm ready to be a good slave now. Which
one of you lovely little ladies is PrincessFaraline?" Xanatos eyes went from one girl to the other and he
offered each his most disarming smile.

The two girls were immediately transformed. Their nervous curiosity
turned to spellbound adoration.They exchanged uncertain glances between each other. Finally,
the taller girl came forward.

"I am Princess Faraline," she admitted. "You are my slave. You
will do as I say."

Xanatos knelt respectfully before her and bowed his head. "Yes,
Your Highness," he whispered.Slowly he raised his face to her. He then held up his wrists
and attractively pouted his full lips. "But howam I to do Your Highness' bidding with my hands bound like this?
You'll need to take these off." Helocked his eyes on the young monarch and extended his wrists
towards her. "Please? They hurt. See?"

The young princess returned his unblinking gaze, but bit her lower
lip and frowned. "I would, honestly,but I don't have the key. Someone else does." She stepped closer
to him and hesitantly brushed a lockof his long black hair back, away from his face. "You have very
pretty eyes."

Xanatos smiled slowly. "Listen to me," he began in a soft, deep
voice. He waved his handimperceptibly in front of the girl's face. "You will fetch the
key to unlock the binders from whomeverhas it and then you will release me to come and go as I please.
You will do this so I will be able toserve you much more efficiently." He nodded for emphasis.

The princess's statement became deadpan and a vacant film seemed
to shadow her large eyes. Shebegan to dutifully repeat what Xanatos had told her. She turned
and headed obediently to the door.Her shorter companion loyally followed her unsuspectingly. She
didn't seem to notice anything peculiarabout the princess's behavior because she couldn't seem to take
her eyes off Xanatos.

The two girls opened the door. Xanatos grinned and thanked whatever
gods were responsible for theuniversal and utterly reliable naivete of females. Young or old,
give them a wink and a smile and theywere so easily manipulated. He had just finished congratulating
himself on his faultless ability to subduethem when a dark shadow fell across the two girls and the specter
of a rather tall woman carrying athickly corded whip suddenly filled the doorway. The two girls
shrieked at her sudden appearance.

Xanatos' eyes traveled up and down the woman's nicely endowed
frame. He noticed the woman wassimilarly dressed as the girls, but the woman's attire, what
little there was of it, was much moreprovocative and she definitely filled out her flimsy garment
much better than the two girls had.

He savoringly took in her long blonde hair, plaited and accented
with little silver beads; her attractive,youthful face; and her shapely, statuesque body. He decided she
was a beautiful and delicious-lookingavenger who had come to free him. Why else would the two girls
be so afraid of her? Xanatos lickedhis lips like a carnivorous canine spying a succulent and orphaned,
herbivore.

"Get out of my bedroom!" the woman screamed. "How many times have
I told you two to leave myslaves alone?!!"

Xanatos hopes and fantasies suddenly crashed . He frowned deeply.
Naw, she couldn't be, could she?This was too much. And to top it all off, he had been tricked.
And by those two sweet andinnocent-looking little girls. Blast it all to hell.

********

"You little brats! I catch you in here again and I'll have your
scrawny hides!" the woman yelled.

The two girls tripped and collided with each other in their haste
to flee the room.

Xanatos watched them go, sighed and looked up. The woman came
inside the room and closed thedoor behind her.

"Ah, Princess Faraline, I presume," he mumbled and struggled to
his feet.

"You!" Faraline spat, turning her wrath on Xanatos. "Try anything
like that again and I will put you inthe stocks so fast and for so long you won't be able to straighten
up, is that understood?"

Xanatos raised his brow. He gazed down at her and offered her
an inquiring shrug. "And just what is itthat Your Highness is accusing me of doing?" he asked.

The princess put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Don't play
innocent with me, Xanatos. My securitymonitors picked up everything. I barely got here in time before
my weak-minded, precocious siblingsfreed you and escorted you out of the palace. Besides, I know
about you. I know who you are."

Xanatos sighed. "Do you now?" He locked his eyes on hers and took
a step towards her. "Then youshould know I'm not one who submits easily to anyone for anything."

Faraline grinned. "So, you think you are poor slave material?
On the contrary, Lover. Hot and feisty isjust the way I like them. Breaking them in is half the fun."

Xanatos reached over and touched her chin. "But you don't want
to break me," he told her in a deepand steady voice. "Keeping me against my will is wrong. You will
get much more satisfaction by lettingme go free."

Faraline blinked in confusion. Her large grey eyes became distant
and unseeing.

"I don't want to break you....I..." She paused and blinked harder
then shook her head. "Hey! Cut thatout!" She jerked away from his hand and waved her whip threateningly
in front of his face. "Am I goingto have to drug you again?"

Xanatos swore to himself and dropped his hands. "I've been drugged?"
No wonder his mind tricksweren't working very well.

Faraline nodded. "I thought it would make you a little easier
to handle until you began to adjust to beinghere. Make you a little more open to suggestion and make you
submit more readily."

"You'll need more than that in your arsenal against me, Princess,"
Xanatos growled.

"Don't worry, it's just a sedative of sorts," Faraline explained
with a smile. "And it's working rather wellI would say. You're fairly subdued right now. You're pissed off,
but you haven't tried to kill me yet. Bythe time it wears off, I'll have you pretty much under my control."

Again Faraline smiled. "I figured it would." She stepped closer
to him and looked him overappreciatively. "I know you're a cunning and powerful man. I
believe there isn't anything you wouldn'tdo for your own personal gain."

"I see my reputation proceeds me once more," Xanatos replied.

Faraline shrugged. "I don't know what your reputation says," she
began. "I found out about you on theholonet. I had heard OffWorld executives were meeting here to
discuss the new development site onDanese. Of which, I'll remind you, I personally authorized."

Xanatos bowed to her slightly and smiled. "Which I am very grateful
for," he said with completesincerity.

"But I have to admit, I wasn't very interested in all that business
talk. All those geographical maps andmining equipment. But I forced myself to watch the reports, to
stay informed. Then I saw you onenight," she said, her eyes sparking with new found interest.
"You really grab a girl's attention. You stoodout like a beacon amid all those stuffed shirts and balding,
overfed flaccid CEOs. I made a point tolearn what I could about you, Xanatos. What I learned intrigued
me even more." She paused andfrowned suddenly. "I had you contacted for an audience with me.
Twice. I had to meet you. But younever acknowledged my summons. It made me very angry. I had to
do something, so then I came upwith this plan...to get you arrested." She smiled devilishly.

Her confession slowly began sinking into Xanato's foggy brain.
A mixture of disbelief, humor, fury, andpleasure all vied for control of his emotions.

"Princess Faraline," he began in a carefully measured tone. "I
am quite flattered to hear of yourelaborate efforts to simply meet me, but now I really must insist
you release me. I am neither of mindnor temperment presently to act as a sniveling, subservient slave
boy to an obviously spoiled rotten,blue-blooded debutante."

Faraline just smiled. "You have a superb voice, Xani. I love your
accent. Very cultured. Very sexy. Iwould love it if you would read something to me later. Perhaps
tonight. Afterwards."

"Listen to me, Princess. There's not going to be any 'later'.
No 'tonight'. No 'afterwards'." Whatever thehell that meant, Xanatos thought to himself.

Again Faraline smiled. "No, you listen to me. You don't get a
say in this. I may be a spoiled and richblue-blooded young woman, but I do rule and what I say goes.
I passed a judgment on you. It's onrecord now. All very legal. All very binding. Like it or not,
you are my slave now, Xani." She pausedand folded her arms across her chest. "You don't mind if I call
you Xani, do you? I know it's your petname. I think it's kind of cute."

Xanatos glared over at her. "Yes, I do mind. I only allow women
I like to call me that."

Faraline laughed, delighted. "Xani it is then," she declared.

Xanatos sighed. "I'm being forced to act as your slave even though
you apparently set up this wholefarce of a judgment against me? Is the Danese High Court aware
of your blatant disregard for dueprocess of the law?" Where were those stifling Republic decrees
now that he needed them, Xanatosthought. "By the way," he continued irritably, "Was the unfortunate
gentleman I ran over truly yourslave?"

Faraline looked regretful momentarily. She shrugged. "Yes, he
was. But I was growing tired of him. Hewas getting too predictable. A sacrifice to be sure, but a worthy
one." She brightened somewhat."Look what I got in exchange." She reached up and trailed her
whip slowly down Xanatos' bare arm.

As soon as the whip reached his hand, Xanatos grabbed it and tried
to wrench it out of her grasp.

Faraline jerked it away from him, clucking her tongue, and shaking
her head. "No, no, this stays withme for the time being," she said and snapped it smartly on his
chest.

Xanatos backed away from her with a fiery glare, then lowered
his head and closed his eyes tightly.

Faraline looked on sympathetically. "Still feeling a little out
of sorts, aren't we? I heard you werestunned back at the prison. Why don't you lie down for awhile?
I'll give you a massage...it will helpyour headache."

"I'm fine," Xanatos argued, forcing himself to look at her. "Much
better than your former slave. So, letme get this straight. You made him throw himself in front of
my speeder?"

Faraline nodded. "Well, I wanted you to replace him. Even if it's
only for a little while. I knew it had tobe my slave that you hit and it had to be that particular one
if you were to be sentenced to replace him.It wouldn't have done me any good to send out one of the kitchen
slaves now would it? You should bepleased, Xani. I did it because I wanted you. I wanted you more
than anything."

Xanatos looked around the room once more, taking in more detail
and understanding the function ofthe customized decor. Despite his still somewhat cloudy perception,
it became glaringly obvious whatkind of a slave Faraline had sacrificed.

"Why you self-serving, wicked, devious, little vixen," Xanatos
growled, but then grinned, having toadmit to admiring her resolve and ingenuity. "A woman after my
own heart."

Faraline smiled, sidling up to him. She reached up and stroked
his long hair. "A heart as black as this, Ithink. You have no right to condemn me, Lover. No right to disapprove."

Xanatos shook his head slowly. He leaned his head into her hand
and allowed her to caress his face.He sighed and submerged himself in the sensations she provoked.
Her touch was warm and gentle andsoothing. Maybe he should take her up on that offer of a massage....

Faraline took hold of Xanatos' chain and pulled him against her.
She raised his hands and began kissingand nibbling her way down his forearms.

"So you agree to it then? I'd much rather have you willing than
have to force you," she murmured inbetween kisses. "Ooo, Lover, you are even more delectable in
person than I imagined. The holonetdidn't do you any justice at all." Having reached his elbow,
Faraline trailed her mouth back up his arm.She held his hands in hers and opened his palms and pressed a
soft kiss into each of them. "Whatbeautiful hands," she whispered. "And these fingers. I bet you
can drive a woman wild with these."

Xanatos leaned into her. He lowered his face to hers and kissed
the delicate ivory curve of her cheek."Pity you won't be able to experience them for yourself," he
said in a breathy and seductive voice. Henuzzled her and kissed her hair and then slowly worked his way
to her ear and gently nipped herearlobe.

Faraline exhaled heavily, her hands sliding around Xanatos' slender
waist. She tilted her head to allowhim better access to her neck. He continued kissing her, making
her whole body tingle and quiver.

"Why...why is that?" she asked softly.

"Because," Xanatos went on to explain. "My hands are tied, so
to speak. Unless you take these bindersoff, I won't be able to touch you...really touch you and that
would be a shame, wouldn't it?"

Mesmerized, Faraline nodded. "Oh yes. Yes it would." She closed
her eyes and he kissed them. Shereveled in the feel of his full warm lips against her skin. "Oh
Xani, you are glorious. I knew you wouldbe," she proclaimed. "Just from the way you moved. Even the way
you walked and turned. Ever since Ifirst saw you, I've been spellbound...spellbound."

Xanatos captured her mouth with his, slipping his tongue between
her teeth. He caged her headbetween his arms, bending her back, pressing her hips into him.

Faraline all but swooned. She moaned and pulled his tongue deeper
into her mouth, softly sucking on it.Her hands strayed over the warm sensuous leather that covered
the taunt firm muscles of his lowerback. Her hands boldly slid lower. She couldn't help but sigh
in appreciation.

"What a perfect ass," she breathed and squeezed savoringly. She
sighed again feeling the muscles movebeneath her hands as he shifted his weight from one leg to another.

"Faraline," Xanatos whispered hotly into her ear. He covered her
face with kisses before continuing."Take them off," he urged. "Please take them off. I need to touch
you."

"Yes..." she readily agreed, believing at first, he was referring
to his pants, her mind muddled withgrowing desire. She suddenly recalled that he had been talking
about the binders. "Oh...no, I can't," shelamented. "Not just yet, okay? Not until I'm sure you'll behave.
You understand, don't you Lover? I'msorry, really."

She tried to kiss him again but he suddenly pulled away from her.

"Well, I suppose I'm sorry too," he told her and then struck her
with both hands across the face.

Unfortunately, the chain checked his swing and he wasn't able
to hit her as hard as he had wanted. Hestaggered back slightly, thrown off balance. His head reeled
from the sudden forceful movement.

Faraline gasped and spun to the floor slightly dazed.

Xanatos cursed himself. He should have known better than to attempt
such a thing in his currentcondition. He was still too unsteady from the combined effects
of the stun blast and drugs and it didn'thelp matters that all his blood had run out of his brain and
was pooling in his loins.

********

Faraline climbed slowly to her feet, cradling her cheek in her
hand. She looked up at Xanatos withbewilderment and for a brief moment, Xanatos regretted striking
her. It hadn't done any good anyway.

He watched as the confusion in her watering eyes gave way to a
look of outrage. She suddenly sprangforward and with what seemed like very little effort on her part,
picked up his chain, hauled him acrossthe room and shoved him face first on the bed. She raised her
whip and slammed the grip down hardacross his ass.

Xanatos yelped in surprise, then began cursing her soundly in
every language he spoke. He continuedfor quite some time. Finally as the stinging began to subside,
he paused for a breath and suddenlybecame aware of Faraline weeping quietly at the foot of the bed.
Xanatos took a deep breath, pushedhimself up, and rolled over on his side to face her.

Faraline looked over at him. "Why...why did you hit me?" she asked
in a quiet, child-like voice. "Is thatwhat you do when you make love to a woman?"

Xanatos frowned. "No. I truly didn't mean to hurt you. I had meant
to knock you unconscious. I wastrying to escape."

"Well, what would knocking me out have accomplished?" she questioned
him. "You'd still be chained.You wouldn't be able to escape just by striking me. I don't understand."

"No, Your Highness, I was not," he lied, knowing he could never
admit such a thing to her. "Escapinghas been first and foremost in my mind since I learned of this
'sentence'."

Faraline sniffed loudly. She tossed the whip aside in frustration.
"Am I so unattractive as all that? Doesthe idea of making love to me repulse you so much you even risk
death by striking me?"

Xanatos opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it and
clamped it firmly shut.

Faraline walked around the bed and over to where he stood. She
reached up and cupped his chin inher hand, forcing his eyes to meet hers. She gazed at him searchingly.

Xanatos felt her finger delicately trace the small circular scar
beneath his eye.

"You'll enjoy making love to me, Xani. I know you will," Faraline
told him, trying to be reassuring.

Xanatos' statement softened. He slowly shook his head. "I won't.
Not when it has to be like this," hereplied and flexed his wrists against the binders. "It's not
making love if one is forced to perform underthreats of punishment. Not if one is bound and held captive against
his wishes. It's no good. No matterhow beautiful and sensuous a woman his captor may be."

Faraline brightened.

"You think I'm beautiful?"

Xanatos nodded. "Very."

So beautiful in fact, he was finding it increasingly difficult
sticking to his principles. After everything hehad been through the past couple of days, he could think of nothing
better than burying himself deepwithin the soft warmth of her femininity and sliding his naked
body repeated over her well-endowedcurves, in every imaginable position.

"If...if I unchain you, will you promise to behave yourself?"
Faraline asked quietly, pulling him reluctantlyfrom his thoughts.

"What? Oh, yes. I promise. But you have to promise me something
as well."

"What?"

"Trust me. You must give me free rein and let me do as I please."

Faraline lowered her eyes. "I don't think I know how to trust
a man to do it right. I always have to tellthe man what I want and then make him do it. It's the only way
it works."

Xanatos grinned. "I know how to do it right." He held up his wrists
to her. "But first, you must takethese off."

Faraline suddenly frowned. "How do I know you're not just going
to try to escape again? How do Iknow you aren't tricking me?"

Xanatos leaned over and kissed her lingeringly. "Trust, remember.
You can believe me when I tell you Iwant it as much as you do. I truly ache with desire for you."

Faraline was still skeptical. "You wouldn't lie to a lady about
a thing like that would you?"

"If I'm lying," Xanatos began with a sly smile, "My body is unaware
of it."

A light of realization dawned behind Faraline's eyes. She glanced
down briefly. "Hmm. I see," she said,licking her lips. She took hold of his hands and turned him around,
gesturing at the bed. "You stay hereand make yourself comfortable." Her fingers slowly began rubbing
back and forth over his hips and shesighed. "As much as I adore you in this tight black leather,
Lover, I think it's time for it to come off."

Xanatos backed away from her slightly. He held up his hands again.
"These first."

"Oh, right," Faraline agreed and started to turn towards the door.
She hesitated, then walked back toXanatos. "I'll go in just a minute. I just have to do this first.
I don't think I can wait any longer," sheexplained. "I have to see you." She suddenly dropped to her knees
in front of him and smiled. "Andplease allow me to offer you my assistance."

Her hands immediately went to work unclasping his belt and unfastening
his pants.

Xanatos stood motionless, watching her, struggling to maintain
self-control. He inhaled sharply andreleased his breath through his teeth. He tentatively placed
his hands on her head and distractedly ranhis fingers through her hair.

Faraline peered up at him, entirely aware of the effect she was
having on him. She teased him, snakingher hand over his rippling abdomen to his nipples. She dragged
her nails through his glossy black chesthair then back down to his navel.

"No one could ever accuse you of being an overfed, flaccid CEO,"
she purred.

Faraline grinned then turned her attention back to her task. She
slowly began to inch the black leatherpants over his hips. She paused momentarily to caress the hardening
bulge of his erection before pullingthe supple leather down his shapely muscular thighs.

She sighed and swallowed hard. "Oh...Xani, you are magnificent,"
she told him, her eyes all butdevouring his cock. "Better than I even imagined you would be.
And you're much larger than any of theother men I've been with before. I like that alot." She reached
out and touched his cock, running herfingertips slowly up and down the rigid length of velvety skin.

Xanatos closed his eyes and shuddered. "Faraline...stop torturing
me and go get the damn key!"

The princess smiled and struggled to her feet. "Yes, I'm going,
Lover." She looked up at him happily."You really do want me, don't you?"

Xanatos nodded. "Yes. Yes. Yes."

Faraline stretched up on her toes and kissed him. Xanatos hurriedly
kissed her back and watched withrelief as she skipped out of the room.

With her gone, he finally felt as if he could breath again. He
took several deep cleansing breaths. Hehad to get his mind back on track and start forming some sort
of plan. Now was the time for clearthinking.

********

Xanatos figured he better not waste any time. He could feel the
fogginess in his head finally clear. Hefelt steadier, stronger; and he knew he would be able to overpower
Faraline now.

He began to search the room and its contents for anything that
might aid in his escape.

He also felt he had convincingly conveyed his sincerity to the
princess. Hell, most of it was sincere.Now he would be able to catch her off guard and take advantage
of her.

Yes, he thought, pausing and sighing heavily. He would actually
rather take advantage of her in otherways, but he knew he had to stop thinking along those lines.

She seemed perfectly willing to comply with his wishes now, but
deep down, Xanatos didn't trust her.In fact, she was probably one of the least trustworthy women
he had ever met. He didn't like the factthat he had to rely on her continued kindness and although she
had been entirely honest with him fromthe start, he had all but convinced himself that she was using
his obvious attraction to her against him forher own gain--just like he was doing to her. More than likely,
she would not unchain him. She probablynever had any intention of doing so. She probably told him she
would just to placate him. The bitch.

Xanatos began rifling through the drawers of her furnishings for
anything useful. Unfortunately, therewasn't much beside her slinky wardrobe, lingerie, and a vast
and varied stash of extremely intriguing sextoys.

In the third drawer he checked, Xanatos found a long silk scarf,
which he quickly placed aside. Hewasn't exactly sure just how he would be able to use it, but
he thought he just might.

He was desparately hoping to find something he could use to pick
the lock on the binders with. Heneeded to get the binders off before Faraline returned. Then
he could catch her by surprise, tie her up,gag her, and be on his way. Maybe he would undress her first.

In the last chest of drawers he searched, he came across a long
hairpin and a small metal file. Definitelyuseful.

Much to his surprise, Xanatos started to feel his resolve diminishing
as he pulled out one dainty, laceypiece of sexy underwear after another from her drawer. Her Royal
Highness Princess Faraline Caslonthe third was definitely a woman who spent very little time modestly
dressed, if dressed at all, Xanatosconcluded. He caught himself more than once staring at her very
risqué attire and wondering how shewould look in certain garments: under different lighting, inside
and outside, wet and dry, hot, cold, fast,slow.

Would it truly be so terrible to actually fulfill this judgment
of hers? How many prisoners could boast asentence of temporary slavery to a beautiful, voluptuous, and
highly oversexed princess?

He knew while he was here he would be well cared for. He would
be spoiled and indulged with richfoods, fine wines, five-star luxury, and last but not least,
fantastic and frequent sex with a woman hecould really sink his teeth into.

Xanatos began to debate the rationality of fleeing such a scenario.
He began to doubt his reasoning. Hebegan to question his overall sanity.

At the very least, he had a legitimate reason now for not attending
the rest of the OffWorld Corp.board meetings this week.

His mind made up, Xanatos hastily returned the scarf and brazier
to Faraline's chest of drawers alongwith the hairpin and file. He sensed Faraline's approach and
returned to the bed, sprawling face down,pretending to have been innocently dozing off to sleep while
waiting for her return.

Quietly, Faraline came up behind him. She crawled onto the bed
and Xanatos felt her hands on his legs,spreading them, then she settled herself between them.

Xanatos opened one eye and made a noncommittal noise into the
pillows. He suddenly felt her lipsbrushing gently across his left buttock and her warm soft hands
squeezing his thighs. His cock stirredimpatiently against the mattress and he moaned sensuously in
blissful anticipation.

Faraline's hands slid caressingly over his calf muscles and down
to his ankles, kneading away hissoreness and tension.

"Ah...Faraline. You are a goddess," Xanatos murmured.

He felt her move over him, massaging his back and shoulders. She
straddled his waist and stretched hisarms out over his head, working her way to his biceps.

"You're so tense, Xani," Faraline whispered. "I wonder why." She
sat up and gathered his long hair upin her hands. She pressed a kiss on the back of his neck and
slowly slithered off him. "Oh Xani, you'reso gorgeous. I really hate to do this..."

Her words registered a split second too late. Xanatos' eyes flew
open and before he could react,Faraline jerked the chain so fast and hard the bones in his wrists
popped in protest. His head shot up inbewilderment.

Faraline was glaring at him. "You lied to me again!" she seethed.
"You were trying to find a way toescape again! And don't try to deny it, I saw you!"

Xanatos tried to sit up but his chain was so short he couldn't
even roll over without dislocating hisarms.

"How could you possibly know..." Xanatos began, but then remembered
her mentioning securitymonitors earlier. Shit! He had forgotten about those. Now she
was convinced he wouldn't stay. "Allright, I admit it," he hurriedly explained. "But then I came
to my senses, more or less, and I realizedwhat a foolish, insane thing leaving you would be."

Faraline wasn't buying it. She stalked over to her chest of drawers
and retrieved the silk scarf Xanatoshad found. She slammed the drawer shut then crossed the room
and picked up her discarded whip.

Xanatos' eyes widened. "Faraline, you can't!"

Faraline knelt at the head of the bed. She offered him a sad and
sympathetic smile and pushed hisbangs back away from his blazing eyes.

"Oh Baby, I'm sorry, but I have to punish you this time. But you
know this is going to hurt me alot morethan it will hurt you," she soothed.

"Like fucking hell it will!" Xanatos snarled, just before Faraline
stuffed the silk scarf in his mouth.

"I can't bear to hear men cry," she explained. "Breaks my heart."

She rose with some reluctance and moved to the side of the bed.
She tossed the end of the whip outand snapped it in the air a couple of times.

Xanatos tried to think of something, anything that would convince
her of his change of heart. He tried tolook repentant and humble. He locked his eyes on hers with a
piercing, pleading stare. His breathingquickened and he blinked slowly as she raised the whip. A large
single tear spilled from his eye and randown his cheek. He swallowed hard and looked away from her in
humiliation and buried his face in hisarms and waited.

Faraline hesitated. She lowered the whip and peered at him with
a deepening sadness. She sighedheavily and went to him and once more knelt at the head of the
bed. Xanatos looked up at her. Sheungagged him then reached out and wiped away the tear on his
cheek.

"I know you're sorry, Xani, but apologizing just isn't going to
be enough this time," she told him.

Xanatos licked his dry lips and took a deep breath.

"I know," he whispered, his voice strained with emotion. He lowered
his eyes, embarrassed. "I dodeserve to be punished, but...I need to know something first."

"What? Tell me."

Xanatos cleared his throat. "After you mercilessly flog me, will
you once again tenderly kiss the marksyou will have made on my inflamed skin?" Slowly Xanatos raised
his glistening eyes to hers. "I'll be ableto endure the coming pain and humiliation only if I know you
will do this one small thing for me." Heshifted as best as he could and tilted his head towards her.
"Kiss me," he breathed, his soft voicedrawing her closer to him. "Promise me...you'll kiss me."

Faraline obligingly lowered her face and he kissed her deeply
and sensuously; making his kiss assucculent and scintillating as he possibly could.

Faraline whimpered helplessly, melting under the heat of Xanatos'
fiery passion. She suddenly threw thewhip aside and cradled his face in her hands, kissing him back
hungrily, her own passion flaring.

Xanatos breathed a sigh of relief. He felt another tug on the
binders around his wrists as Faralineunlocked them and pulled them off. Xanatos smiled and kissed
her harder. He reached for her androlled over, pulling her on top of him, into his arms. He covered
her face with kisses as his hands madeup for lost time and set about determiningly roaming her body.

Faraline sighed and moaned and squirmed against him, reveling
in his expertise. She knew he would betrouble at first, but she also knew he would be so very worth
it in the end. He was proving that moreand more with each passing minute. She smiled to herself, thinking.
He wasn't nearly as hard to breakas he had professed to be. In no time at all he was of willing
mind and body, totally under her control,and ready to fulfill her every desire. No more whips or chains
for this one. She knew he would behavefrom now on.

Xanatos began undressing Faraline, congratulating himself on his
infallible ability to subdue women,young or old. Give them a wink and a smile, or in this case a
tear, and they were so easy to manipulate.And he would forever be thankful for their continued naiveté.